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Jonathan Horton, Jake Dalton makes Olympic gymnastics team

Former Sooner Jonathan Horton selected for second Olympics team alongside current Sooner Jake Dalton.

By WILL GRAVES, AP Sports Writer •
Published: July 1, 2012

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SAN JOSE, Calif. — Former Sooner Jonathan Horton is heading back to the Olympics with a bunch of rookies in tow.

Jake Dalton performs on the parallel bars during the final round of the men's Olympic gymnastics trials, Saturday, June 30, 2012, in San Jose, Calif.(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) ORG XMIT: CAJJ148

The two-time Beijing medalist was picked for the U.S. men's gymnastics team for the London Games on Sunday, joined by current Sooner Jake Dalton and Sam Mikulak. Danell Leyva and reigning national champion John Orozco automatically qualified for the five-man squad after the conclusion of Olympic trials Saturday night.

Former Sooners Chris Brooks, Steven Legendre and Alex Naddour are the alternates.

Horton gives a veteran presence to the deepest U.S. Olympic team in recent memory. The 26-year-old helped the U.S. win a team bronze in Beijing four years ago, then added a silver medal on high bar. None of the other four members are over 20.

“Super excited to be doing this again,” Horton wrote in a text to The Associated Press. “I was worried, but I think this team is going to be great.”

Mikulak, the 2011 NCAA champion, earned a spot despite spraining his left ankle on vault during the opening night of trials last Thursday.

The injury limited Mikulak to just one event Saturday — pommel horse — but his steady rise over the last month was enough for the five-man selection committee to award him a spot. Mikulak was third at nationals in St. Louis three weeks ago and posted the highest score during preliminaries Thursday, his 91.8 just enough to edge Leyva's 91.7.

Mikulak will undergo intense rehab and likely won't be able to do full routines on floor or vault for two weeks. He will join the rest of the team at training camp in Colorado Springs, Colo., from July 8-11.

“YESSSSSS!!! I love today,” Mikulak tweeted moments after the team was announced. “Thank you everyone, friends, fans, and my great family! Olympics and London bound here I come.”

Dalton, the reigning NCAA champion, gives the U.S. someone who can put up eye-popping numbers on floor and vault. The 20-year-old won both events during trials easily, his explosiveness on the floor leaving Brooks to joke he was “disgusted” watching Dalton's powerful tumbling runs.